Switch Hit
by Celestial Chaos
Summary: Rita and Lord Zedd create a monster capable of tearing into parallel universes. Adam is the monster's unfortunate target. How does he handle a world where his feelings for Rocky are not only commonplace, but where they are actually together? Slash.
1. The Monster Switch Hit

**Author's Notes: Hello to all! I gotta say, having Netflix and being able to relive my childhood has apparently done wonders for my muse. Never before have I been hit with such a desire to write a story. In one sitting I wrote over 20 pages, which hasn't happened to me in a long time. I take that as a very good sign :)**

**I have been marathoning the third season of MMPR and reliving my crushes on Adam Park and Rocky DeSantos. Little did I know, my slasher's heart was not the only one out there who was thinking the same thing I was: that these two are perfect for each other. Throughout the last few days I've had the luxury of reading some great slash fiction between Adam and Rocky, so I am throwing my hat into the ring and hoping that you all enjoy my story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. **

**For an idea of a timeline, this story takes place in the third season of MMPR just shortly after the episode called "The Potion Notion" in which a monster uses love potions to cause drama. It has nothing to do with the story, I just wanted to give you all an idea of what to picture around it. **

**Since this is my first MMPR fanfic I would really like all of your opinions on what you think of the premise, the writing, the characters, etc. Your reviews help me grow as a writer, which is always a helpful and welcome tool. :) Enjoy!**

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><p>Lord Zedd's visible musculature tightened and relaxed as he stalked back and forth in front of the balcony overlooking the moon's surface. In the distance spun Earth, glowing brilliantly blue. He growled irritably at it, knocking his staff against the ground.<p>

"These meddlesome rangers are getting on my last nerve. We have dealt with them long enough. Everything we have ever done has been foiled by them. There must be something we can do!"

"When you figure it out, let me know!" said Rita, voice shrill and demanding as always. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "We've been trying forever, Zeddy, and they keep ruining _everything_! Even my numskull brother over here can't do anything about them!"

Rito's eyes flashed red. He stood up quickly. "Hey, not fair! I've done a great job messing with them so far, better than either of you two ever did! And I still got tricks up my sleeve, you'll see!"

"Oh yeah? Like what, peabrain!" Zedd balled his hand into a fist, shaking it in his brother-in-law's direction.

Rito paused. Ideas were not typically free floating in his head—he often had to grasp at straws. It hit him in an instant, however. He snapped his fingers.

"Hey, Rita, remember that time when dad got so tired of us arguing and fighting that he switched me with a parallel universe's version of me? That pushover mess that you nearly killed?"

Rita turned around quickly, making a face. "Yes, of course I do! He was a sniveling beast and I hated him!"

Zedd growled again. "What are you getting at, you fool? Spit it out!"

"What if we did that with the rangers? What if we created a monster that can access other worlds and use them to switch the power rangers for their alter egos?"

The room remained silent as Rita and Zedd stared at each other, mulling the idea around in their heads. They both looked at Rito simultaneously.

"Did you really just come up with that brilliant of an idea?" Zedd asked. "Where was that a week ago when we had Miss Chief running around spilling love potion on everyone? Oh, right, _you_ were causing it!"

Rita squealed in delight. "Oh, Rito, what a wonderful idea! It will cause so much confusion, the Power Rangers won't know what to do with themselves!" She stepped down from the throne's platform, shrieking, "Finster! Finster, get in here!"

"Coming, mistress!"

Finster the monster-making magician appeared several moments later, offering a brief bow in greeting. His hands were covered in clay.

"Finster, I need you to create a monster capable of—"

"Hey, my idea, let me tell him!" Rito interrupted.

Rita glared daggers at her brother before continuing. "I need you to make a monster capable of accessing parallel universes. We are going to trap the rangers in another world!"

"How utterly devious, mistress!" Finster chuckled in glee. "I will get on it right away!"

Rita began to laugh. Shortly thereafter, Rito and Zedd joined her. The three of them shared a devious look, at which point Rita said gleefully, "Finally, we can say goodbye to those pesky Power Rangers!"

. . . . .

"I feel like we come to this park every day."

"Of course we do, Adam. We have to walk through it to get home, don't we? Duh!"

Aisha's quip made Adam snort. Leave it to her to give him a snarky comment. He playfully nudged her shoulder as they walked down the pathway, which sent her partially into the path of their close friend, Rocky. Rocky laughed and stepped quickly out of the way.

"Hey, guys, don't make me fall down, now. I have enough scars from falling as a kid. I don't need any more!"

When the weather was good, Adam liked taking the pathway through the park home. It was especially nice when his friends accompanied him, making the long walk much more bearable. Winter had officially kicked into gear, although the temperature seemed to suggest otherwise. The park lacked its usual luster from the lush greens and colorful flowers, but it remained beautiful nonetheless. Not a single cloud hung in the sky above.

All in all, it was a gorgeous day.

Adam stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans, staring in front of him at the pathway. There weren't as many people in the park today as he'd have expected—maybe they were waiting until later? He knew a lot of his fellow students had activities after school. That was probably part of it.

"How do you think you did on that chemistry test, Rocky?" Aisha asked. She gave him a side-grin.

"Better, after that incident with Mr. Wilton," Rocky said, laughing.

Adam laughed too. Watching his friend switch places with Mr. Wilton the science teacher and try to teach their chemistry class had been a complete disaster. But because of it, and because of what had happened with Mr. Wilton, Rocky was sure to have done a great job. After all, you had to pay attention to a man who had once been turned into a monster. It somehow made him more interesting, in a weird way.

Adam's eyes lingered on Rocky as they walked, but he soon tore them away and focused on the ground beneath him. His feelings toward the other ranger had been bubbling up worse than usual lately, making him somewhat quieter and more reserved than usual. He chalked it up to the approaching Christmas season and its inevitable reminder of family unity and love. After the incident with Miss Chief and her love potions, Adam had been on high alert to keep himself under wraps. Rocky had no idea how he felt, and he intended on keeping it that way.

But it was getting harder and harder each week. Adam could only fight for so long before he turned sour. It had happened once before…he really hoped it wouldn't happen again.

As the trio rounded a corner of shrubbery and entered a section of the pathway covered in a branch canopy, their walk was cut short. From out of thin air materialized a hideous looking monster clad in a morbidly tainted baseball uniform. He also wore a backwards baseball cap and cleats, which covered his oversize feet. In his beefy, misshapen arms he held a bat. His mouth was curled in an unnatural, smarmy grin.

"Rangers! Such a pleasure to run into you here at the park! Care for a game of ball?"

Before any of them could respond, the monster conjured up a baseball and smacked it with powerful force at the three of them. Adam, Rocky and Aisha dove out of the way just in time to avoid being hit by its explosion.

"Crap, can't we just have one decent day without some monster trying to ruin it!" Adam cried out.

"Never a boring day in this neighborhood!" Aisha threw down her book bag and quickly put herself into a fighting stance. Once Rocky and Adam had done the same, she said, "Ninja power or morph?"

"Morph!" the two boys agreed.

"All right, it's morphin' time!"

The trio brandished their morphers and called out their battle cries. In a flash of light they suited up, ready to fight.

Rocky turned on his communicator and brought it close to his helmet. "Alpha, we're under attack at the park! We need help, send the others!"

"Right away, Rocky!" Alpha's digitized voice replied.

The monster laughed egregiously. He pulled another baseball out of nowhere, aiming it right at the trio. It landed before they could escape, sending a rippling explosion through the ground that cracked the cement and sent them flying. All three cried out—Adam hitting a nearby tree; Aisha falling into the grass; and Rocky, collapsing into a flower bed.

Adam struggled to get up. He had hit the tree with enough force to knock the wind out of him. When he finally managed to rise to his feet, he saw glorious relief in blue, pink and white.

"Guys! Heard you could use some help!"

"Tommy!" Rocky called.

"Ew, who's that ugly thing?" Kimberly asked, pointing at the monster.

"Name's Switch-Hit, pretty thing. Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to call people names?" The monster prepared to bat another ball, but Aisha tackled him to the ground. He kicked her off of him and stumbled to his feet, yelling, "Six against one ain't fair! I'm evening the field!"

Without a cue, several Tenga materialized around him. The overgrown birds reeked of rotten fish, and their shrill caws filled the air, drowning out the sound of a plane flying overhead.

Chaos ensued. Each ranger engaged in combat with a Tenga, none of them able to reach Switch-Hit. He weaved in and out of the battle, landing low-blows and cheap shots to weaken the rangers. Though most of the Tenga were taken down, the Power Rangers nearly fell first. They regrouped a safe distance away, trying to figure out the next move.

"What do we do?" Kimberly cried. "We can't get anywhere close to him!"

"He's using the Tenga as a shield," Billy said. "We can fight them all we want, but he knows we have to focus on them and he's using it against us!"

The Tenga's cries made it hard to focus on their plan. Adam could tell Tommy was speaking, but could barely hear him.

"We need to distract him long enough to get an attack on him from behind!"

"Let me attack him!" Adam said. "My color is very close to the Tengas, he won't notice me. I'll blend in."

"All right, great, so Adam is going to attack. Kimberly, Aisha, do you two think you can distract him long enough? Billy, Rocky, you two and I will fight the Tengas."

"Got it!" the other rangers' voices rang in unison.

"Okay, break!"

Tommy, Billy and Rocky went for the remaining Tengas as planned. Kimberly and Aisha stepped in front of Switch-Hit, egging him on with a few choice words. While he attacked them, Adam disappeared behind a nearby tree. He could only hope that Switch-Hit hadn't seen, otherwise their whole plan was ruined.

He lay in wait for a few moments, stealing glances from behind the thick tree to see the exact moment when the monster would turn his back to him. He waited for what felt like ever until he saw his two friends draw Switch-Hit's attention far enough around that he finally revealed his back—his weak point. Adam pulled out his blaster, cocked it, and jumped out from behind the tree. He tried not to flinch when he saw Kimberly and Aisha take a nasty blow from one of the explosive baseballs.

Just as he set his forefinger on the trigger to blast Switch-Hit away, the monster turned around, brandishing his bat.

"Sneaking up behind isn't fair game, ranger! Foul ball! I'm gonna knock you into another dimension!"

Adam didn't have enough time to register what was happening until he felt a massive blow to his abdomen. He watched in horror through the tinted lens of his visor as the scene of the battle began to grow more and more distant. For a split second he felt his vision black out, but it quickly refocused and he saw the very park in which he had just been. He landed on the ground with a heavy _thud_, once again knocking the wind out of him.

He groaned, but knew there was no time to waste. Adam climbed to his feet and took a battle stance, only to realize that there was not a single bad guy anywhere around him. Nor, for that matter, was there a single ally. He stood alone in a large patch of open grass near the walkway upon which he'd just been battling.

This was weird…

Below his feet was a large blanket that he had dirtied with his boots. A basket lay open atop it, though no food he could see from inside it had been to be taken out.

He'd stumbled upon someone's picnic. How had they not seen this when they started fighting?

Adam furrowed his brow and looked around him. Where were the other rangers? Switch-Hit? The Tenga?

"Keep your hands to yourself, Skull! This is my doughnut!"

The grumbling voice of Bulk filled Adam's ears. He quickly searched for its origins, and saw Bulk and Skull through the branches of a nearby topiary wall. Slightly panicked, Adam turned, wincing through his abdominal pain, and ran behind yet another tree. He demorphed and hastily pocketed his morpher, stepping out from behind the tree just in time to catch the two thugs walking by. He watched curiously, not noticing anything different. Yet, within, he felt something strange, as if it weren't quite right.

"Adam? Hey, Adam, where are you?"

The sound of Rocky's voice caught Adam's attention. Relief washed over him, and he looked around him, trying to find his best friend. He saw Rocky, fully demorphed, coming out of the brick building that housed the rest rooms. That was unexpected.

"Rock? Rocky, hey!"

Adam hurried over to the other, his bafflement written across his face. "Rocky, where'd Switch-Hit go? Where are the others? Is everyone okay?"

Rocky blinked, raising an eyebrow in obvious confusion. "Switch-Hit? The others? What are you talking about, man?"

"You know, the others! We were fighting that monster and I got hit, then the next thing I know, they're all gone!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Adam?" Rocky folded his arms over his chest. "Did you hit your head or something while you were out here alone? Are you okay?"

"Rocky, seriously, quit fooling around…"

Adam ran a hand through his short, curly hair. His heart was beating fast. This didn't feel right. What was going on?

"Where's Aisha? Tommy? Any of them!"

Rocky snorted.

"Adam, babe, why in the world would any of them be here on our _date_?"

. . . . .

"Adam!"

Rocky's voice rang through the air as the black ranger flew into a swirling vortex. It was short-lived—not but a moment later he came tumbling right back out. Now, however, he was demorphed. Rocky instantly worried that Switch-Hit had the ability to knock the power right out of them.

"Watch out for his bat!" he shouted.

He landed a firm kick right in the chest of a Tenga, sending it flying into Switch-Hit. Though the monster stumbled back, he did not fall. Rocky noticed nearby that Adam did not grab his morpher and attempt to rejoin the battle. He simply stared, clearly dumbfounded by all that was going on.

Switch-Hit and the Tenga regrouped quickly, and without so much as a single word, teleported up and out of the canopied pathway.

"What in the world just happened?" Kimberly said pointedly. She stood up and shook her head. "Where'd they go?"

"Disappeared," Tommy said. "Weird."

"Adam, you all right?" Aisha called to her friend, stepping over toward him.

"Oh my God!" Adam shouted. "Th-The Y-Yellow Ranger! Wow!"

"Yellow Ranger?"

Rocky stepped forward, as well, only to stop when he saw Adam tense up. He was acting awfully strange. Was he okay?

"Are you okay?" Aisha repeated.

Adam chanted _Oh my God_ several times, backing up and covering his mouth. He let out a nervous laugh that sent an uneasy wave through Rocky's body. What was going on with him?

Before he got an answer, his Asian friend's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he promptly collapsed on the grass, passing out.

"We need to get him to the Command Center," Billy ordered. "He's obviously not well. Rocky, Aisha, can you two carry him and teleport him with you?"

"Billy's right," Tommy said. "We can have Alpha and Billy figure out what happened there."

"Zordon, we're coming back to the Command Center," Tommy said into his communicator. "Something's wrong with Adam."

"Understood, Tommy," came Zordon's booming reply. "Please hurry."

Rocky reached down and gripped one of Adam's arms, lifting him up with the help of Aisha. Together, the two of them teleported him back to the Command Center, carefully easing him onto the chaise that Alpha had brought into the center chamber. Adam looked pale as a sheet—almost as if he'd seen a ghost. When Rocky pulled off his helmet, he couldn't help but notice just how much worse the pallor was without the tint of his visor.

"What happened, Zordon?" Aisha asked worriedly.

"Aiyiyiyiyi!" Alpha worked swiftly to check over Adam, assessing his current state.

"The monster you battled is known as Switch-Hit," Zordon explained. His expression hardened slightly. "He is a dangerous creation of Rita and Lord Zedd designed to send you all into an alternate reality."

"Wait, how does he do that?" Rocky asked. He looked briefly to Adam. "Is that what he did to Adam?"

"I am afraid so," Zordon said. "His bat is capable of creating tears in the space-time continuum which in turn opens portals to parallel universes."

"You mean those actually exist?" Kimberly scoffed in disbelief. "And here I thought they were just sci-fi."

"They are not only real, Kimberly, they can be devastating. Creating tears in the continuum can throw entire worlds off balance, causing instability, and eventually, destruction."

Aisha rubbed her neck and worried her lip. "But if Adam was thrown into a parallel universe, Zordon, how is he here with us?"

"This isn't our Adam," Billy replied quickly. He frowned.

Zordon said, "Billy is correct. This Adam was inadvertently brought into our universe through the very portal Switch-Hit opened."

"Is that even possible?" Tommy inquired.

"Yes, but the chances are very minimal. This Adam must have been in the exact location where our Adam was thrown into the rift, causing him to be sucked through."

"So if he's from an alternate reality, or parallel universe, or whatever…" Kimberly sighed. "How do we know we can trust him?"

Rocky said without hesitation, "We can always trust Adam!"

"But what if we can't?" Kimberly said again. Her words, though true, caused Rocky's skin to flush. He didn't like the accusation that this Adam could be dangerous to them. How could he? It was _Adam_!

"We must take caution," Zordon stated. "This Adam must be watched over. He will remain here with Alpha and me while you all go after Switch-Hit. He must not be allowed to create another portal. With each one he opens, the stability of our universe disintegrates."

"Great, so no pressure," Aisha muttered under her breath.

Rocky knew they would be in rough waters without Adam to help them. They had been through tough situations before and had somehow managed to get out all right, but something about this didn't sit right with him. Then a thought dawned on him—one upon which they had yet to shed light.

"Wait, Zordon, is he a Power Ranger?"

"I am afraid not," Zordon said. "Each of you possesses a unique aura that reveals your identity as the chosen fighters of good. This Adam does not have such an aura."

"So he's in danger being in our world," Tommy said. "Right?"

"Correct."

"You know, we should have guessed," Aisha said. "He called me 'Yellow Ranger' and then fainted. That should have been our first clue."

"Yeah, well, when your best friend flies through a vortex and pops back out again, you can't expect everything to be dandelions," Rocky replied.

"We'll watch him, rangers, don't worry," Alpha said. "We'll also try and find Adam in whatever universe he might be in."

"How many are there?" Tommy asked.

Zordon said, "An infinite amount. Each choice someone makes can lead to the creation of a separate reality."

"Great," Rocky grumbled. "This is gonna be just great."


	2. Confusion

**Author's Notes: Hey all! This story actually turned out to be shorter than I anticipated...I guess the muse wanted something succinct! I've already finished the story (6 chapters total) and just need to get it posted. Glad to see there's some good traffic coming in to the story. But only one review? Come on everyone, I know you have something to say! ;)**

**Special kudos to Ghostwriter for reviewing! **

**One note: To help keep things a little clear between the universes, I've devised a scene separator for each one. When you see a scene begin with . . . it will be in the "real" universe, with the AU!Adam. When you see one with * * * it is the AU, with Adam the Power Ranger. **

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it! He succeeded! He actually succeeded!"<p>

Rito groaned. "What do you mean, you can't believe it, Ed? It was a good idea, I told you so! Brightest idea ever!"

"Zedd!" Lord Zedd replied. "_ZEDD!_ You complete moron!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Hey, look, though, one down! Only five to go!"

Goldar growled in concern. He pointed at the Earth, staring at Rito almost accusingly. "How do we know he's not a Power Ranger and won't fight with our meddling twerps? That couldn't have been part of the plan!"

"Switch-Hit is capable of accessing multiple realities," Finster explained, voice slightly strained. "He would not choose to send a Power Ranger to one where another could possibly come back."

"That was a fluke," Switch-Hit explained. "That other dude just happened to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Of the millions of possibilities, I went with my gut."

"And your gut could cost us!" Goldar exclaimed.

"Silence!"

Rita thrust herself up from the throne. She glared at Goldar, who quickly shut up. "We need to come up with another ambush so he can send another one of those troublesome rangers to an alternate reality. What would be the best way?"

"Infinite possibilities!" Switch-Hit said joyously.

"Quiet!" the witch barked. She stroked her chin thoughtfully. "We need to come up with a plan…"

. . . . .

After leaving the Command Center, Rocky and the others went to the Youth Center, not knowing where else they could speak in private without drawing attention to themselves. It never boded well trying to go home to one of their houses—parents were always nosy and wondering why four, five or even six teenagers needed to be in a room together. This was especially true of his house, considering Rocky was the eldest of four, and never had a single moment of privacy in his own home.

"What are we gonna do about Adam?" Kimberly asked in concern. She furrowed her brow. "We can't send him home. His parents will _totally_ know."

"But we can't just _not_ send him home," Aisha retorted. "How bad would that look? Then the police would get involved!"

"Well, it _is_ almost Friday," Billy said. Everyone turned their attention to him; the tone of his voice seemed to suggest he had an idea. "What if he were to stay with one of us over the weekend?"

"That'd buy us enough time to find Switch-Hit and take him down," Tommy explained. "And it's not too long so as to cause concern. I like it. Question is, who?"

"Me, obviously," Rocky replied. He didn't realize how flippant it had sounded until everyone stared at him. "Sorry. I just—I mean, he usually stays over at least once or twice a month. His parents are always traveling, so—oh!" He snapped his fingers. "That's right! I completely forgot. His parents are out of town on a business trip this week! His dad had to go back to Korea for a week and took his mom along with him!"

Kimberly and Aisha gave each other high fives. Aisha said, "Oh, great! That makes this a lot easier to handle! I forgot Mr. and Mrs. Park travel so much."

"Lucky us, huh?" Billy said with a grin. It quickly faded. "Still, we can't expect this alternate Adam to hang around the Command Center willingly for however long it takes us to figure out where Switch-Hit is and where he'll hit next."

"Well, he retreated pretty damn quick when he knocked Adam through the portal," Tommy began. "What if…what if he's trying to do the same thing to all of us?"

Such a powerful realization hit them all hard. Each wore a look of concern and uncertainty.

Tommy continued, "We have to be extra careful. How did he do it again?"

"None of us saw," Rocky said bitterly. "We were all busy doing our part. The only thing I saw was Adam flying into the portal and then coming right back out again."

"Then we all have to agree to keep our eyes out when fighting him. The last thing we need is to go through this again with another one of us being knocked interdimensionally."

"Is that even a word?" Kimberly asked, giving Tommy a small smile.

"If it isn't, I just made it one." He winked.

"Aw, you two are so cute, it makes me sick." Aisha grinned playfully. "Before you start making googly eyes at each other, how about we figure out what we're gonna do next?"

Rocky wanted to continue listening, but the longer the conversation went on, the antsier he grew. Something had happened to his best friend, and he hadn't been able to stop it. He'd seen worse happen before, at least physically—after all, Adam had been turned into a football before—but something about him possibly never coming back, being thrown into an alternate reality…it made Rocky's blood run cold. Adam had been charged with trying to bring Switch-Hit down on his own.

He should have tried to help him.

The Red Ranger sighed, rubbing the palm of his hand over his eye. He rejoined the conversation just in time to hear Billy say, "If Zordon and Alpha find Adam through the Viewing Globe, there may even be a way for us to create a connection to the alternate reality and bring him back, while teleporting the Adam we have now, home."

"In a perfect world," Rocky balked. He realized again just how negative he sounded. "Sorry, guys, I'm just…I feel like there was something I should have done to stop him. I should have been the one to ambush."

"There's nothing you can do about the past, Rocky," Billy said. "All you can do is try and help the present."

"Billy's right. Don't worry. Adam's our friend, too." Kimberly put her hand atop Rocky's, squeezing it gently, comfortingly. "We'll find a way to get him back."

"I hope so."

"We _know _so," Tommy corrected, smiling.

"_Date_?"

Did Adam hear correctly? Had Rocky just said date? Wait, had he called him _babe_?

"Yeah, of course, dummy. Our date. You know, the one we agreed to have after classes today."

Rocky was regarding him the same way one might view a dangerous animal. He obviously was trying to make sense of the situation, but at the same time, his stance was somewhat stiff—he was visibly concerned.

"This doesn't sound right," Adam offered with a shake of his head. "Rock, we need to contact Zordon, figure out what happened here."

"Zordon? What in the world is that? All right, Adam, what the hell happened to you? Are you sure you're okay?" Rocky reached up and cupped his hand over Adam's forehead. He pulled back after a moment. "You don't seem to be running a fever, or anything…"

This wasn't right. No, it wasn't right at all. Not only was Rocky acting strange, he had absolutely no idea who Zordon was, or Switch-Hit. He knew Aisha, knew Tommy, so that was good, but there were just too many things that weren't adding up properly. Aside from the pain in his abdomen, Adam didn't feel hurt, sick, disoriented…so why in the world were things so _wonky_?

"Come here, babe, sit down for a minute."

Rocky placed a firm hand on both the back of Adam's neck and on his forearm, guiding him toward the picnic blanket. Despite every urge not to do so, Adam relented, following Rocky's lead. When he sat down the pain in his stomach shot up through him, causing him to wince.

"Why do you keep wincing? What happened?"

"It's nothing," Adam said with a sharp exhalation of breath. He gritted his teeth. Damn, that bat had hurt.

The way Rocky looked over him made the younger ranger feel strange. It was almost the same look his mother gave him when he told a lie. Why was Rocky pushing this?

"Lift up your shirt," Rocky said.

"No!" Adam said immediately, embarrassment causing a flush to rise in his cheeks.

"Just do it. It's not like I haven't seen you naked before."

"_What?_"

Rocky gave him a pointed look, reaching for the hem of Adam's black tank-top. The curly haired boy gave in, moving Rocky's hand away. "All right, all right, I'll do it." He gripped the hem and slowly lifted the fabric, revealing his smooth, pale skin beneath. It had grown discolored just below his ribs, a brilliant display of purple, blue and red. Adam was so caught up in the pain he didn't catch Rocky's fingers moving in until he felt them along his abs.

"Rocky!" Adam protested.

"Shh, shut up, man, jeez." Rocky furrowed his eyebrows. He looked at Adam, worry etched into his features. "Adam, what the hell did you do while I was in the bathroom? It looks like you got into some kind of brawl!"

Adam wanted to shout: _Yes, yes it was a brawl, and you were a part of it! You were fighting Tengas and I was supposed to take down Switch-Hit, but it backfired!_

Instead, he remained silent.

"Seriously, Adam, what happened?" Rocky's voice was quiet, curious.

Honestly? Adam didn't know. He didn't know where he was, what was going on. He didn't know why he wasn't fighting anymore, or where their friends were. Most importantly, he didn't understand how he and Rocky were _dating_, how it had happened for _two years_, or how he was supposed to react to the gentle touches that his best friend was doing over his bruised stomach.

_Please let me figure this out_, Adam pleaded inside his head.

. . . . .

"Zordon! He's waking up!"

Adam didn't recognize the digitized voice that rang in his ears. As he came to, he opened his eyes, his vision refocusing so he could take in his surroundings. Though dark, he could make out a large, glowing object and several large sections of keyboards and electronic equipment. He lifted his head, groaned, and began looking around him.

He stopped immediately upon seeing a humanoid robot with a large, glowing lightning bolt on its chest.

"Ah!"

Adam tried to stumble back, only to fall off of the chaise and onto the hard stone floor. His hands stung from absorbing the impact. He quickly gathered himself and stood, immediately taking a defensive stance. His martial arts training would do little on a robot, but he still intended on defending himself.

"Do not be afraid," came a booming voice.

He stared around him. There, against the wall, was a large cylinder filled with a bluish material. At first he thought the wavering particles inside were something air related, but he soon realized they formed a face.

He felt lightheaded again.

"We are not here to harm you," the voice said. "My name is Zordon. This is Alpha Five. We have watched over you to ensure you woke up comfortably and securely."

"Where am I?" Adam demanded.

"You are in the Command Center, nestled far away in the mountains behind Angel Grove."

"Command Center?"

"Yes."

"Command Center for _what_?"

"If you will please sit, I will explain everything."

Adam was reluctant to do so, however he felt no malevolence from the voice, nor did he feel any strongly opposing reason not to listen. After he took a seat, the voice named Zordon proceeded to explain to him what had happened: how he, Adam, had been thrown into a portal that led him to an alternate reality, and how his counterpart from this one had been put into his, all thanks to a monster named Switch-Hit that was created by the evil forces of Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. Zordon also explained how in this universe, Adam Park was a Power Ranger, and fought for the forces of good.

Up until that point, Adam hadn't believed a word Zordon said. But the last bit? That definitely got his attention.

"You have to be joking, I'm a Power Ranger?"

"Yes," Zordon stated.

"That means that the rangers now are down one." He moved to stand. "You have to let me help. Can I?"

"I'm afraid not. The ninja power coin currently in possession by your alternate self was transported with him into your reality."

"You can't make another one?"

"That is not how it works, I'm afraid."

Adam frowned. At first he had been completely sure this was just a dream. He thought he'd fallen asleep waiting for Rocky to come out from the bathroom. After all, why would he dream about being a Power Ranger and not actually get the ability to do so? Plus, he'd just pinched himself, and it had hurt something awful.

"So does that mean I have to stay here in the Command Center until the Power Rangers take down this monster?" he asked.

"It would be in your best interest to stay," Zordon explained. "You would be safer from harm. Here, you are known as a Power Ranger, and will be targeted as such."

"But I can't just sit by while they fight and I can't help. Not if I'm a Power Ranger here!"

"While your intentions are admirable, Adam, I do not think you should leave."

"Please, Zordon. If I stay with the other rangers, can I go? This is a once in a lifetime chance if it's really true..."

Though he was not one to plead normally, this was an incredibly unique situation. Not many were able to travel to an alternate universe and explore it.

Zordon hesitated. Adam looked to Alpha Five, but the android said nothing.

Then: "Very well. If you stay in the sight of the rangers at all times, then you may leave the Command Center. However, when danger arises, you must take shelter and hide. Do not try and fight."

Adam gave a silent _yes!_

"Understood, Zordon. Thank you for the opportunity. Really!"

Though Zordon acknowledged his appreciation, his immediate next action was to call the rangers to the Command Center. Adam felt his stomach do a small leap—he was about to meet the _Power Rangers_.

Within mere moments, large beams of colorful light entered the building. Within them materialized five individuals, but when Adam saw who they were, he nearly fainted once again. Before him stood Tommy, Billy, Kimberly, Aisha, and—

And_ Rocky_.

"Rocky!"

An overwhelming rush of relief and happiness coursed through him. As if on auto-pilot, Adam went right for his boyfriend, hesitating briefly before wrapping him in a tight embrace. He gave him a kiss on the neck. Adam typically was reserved in front of their friends, but Rocky was, for a lack of better wording, a sight for sore eyes.

"What? G-Get off me!"

Adam felt strong hands pushing at his waist, breaking them apart. Heart sinking into his stomach, the young Asian boy stared disbelievingly at Rocky before realizing that this wasn't the Rocky he knew. This was the Rocky of _this_ reality, who very clearly had not appreciated such a showing of affection. Cheeks flushing in embarrassment, Adam cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck.

"Sorry," he murmured quietly.

Rocky, too, wore a scarlet flush across his cheeks. Such a reaction normally made Adam smile, but here, it made him feel even more isolated and confused.

"Rangers, Adam has agreed to keep your identities a secret in exchange for the chance to explore our universe here," Zordon explained.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Aisha said warily. "He doesn't know anyone here, he's gonna be real confused! That's dangerous."

"What about Switch-Hit?" Tommy shook his head. "What if he attacks when Adam's with us?"

"He wishes to help, but cannot. Alpha and I have devised a plan in such a case, do not worry, rangers."

"If you say so, Zordon," Kimberly said. She smiled at Adam.

He gave her a small smile in return. Kimberly had been the first of his new friends here in Angel Grove. Even if this wasn't _his_ Kim, she still had that friendly warmth about her.

Instinctively his eyes returned to Rocky. Standing beside him was Aisha. His two closest friends, and yet, here, he couldn't have felt more distant from them.

"Come on, Adam, let's go back to my place. We can talk privately there, and you can relax. All right?"

"Your house? Private? Really?"

Adam must have fallen into an alternate universe. Rocky's house was never private, never quiet, never peaceful. With three younger siblings who were all incredibly active and hyper, it was a wonder anything ever got done there.

Still, there was an undeniable comfort about Rocky's home that drew Adam's attention. He nodded in agreement, lifting himself up. Rocky gathered up their picnic basket and together the two walked to the other's home, just over a mile away. Rocky was uncharacteristically quiet the entire way, but Adam was thankful; he didn't feel like answering questions any more than he felt like asking them. Trying to make sense of what happened was still proving to be impossible.

When they arrived at Rocky's house, the brunette popped the door open with his house key and guided them inside. As he shut it behind them, he called out, "Ma, I'm home! Adam's with me!"

No voice returned the call. That was strange. Rocky's mother stayed at home and looked after her four children.

Come to think of it, where were his younger brother and sisters?

"Where are your brother and sisters?" Adam asked, perplexed.

Rocky gave him a confused look. "Brother and sisters? Man, you really conked yourself out there, didn't you?"

Yet another strange occurrence, Adam thought irritably.

Rocky started for the stairs, stepping down them and into the lower level of the house. He flipped the switch and illuminated the hallway. What normally led to several rooms now only led to one. Odd though that was, Adam kept it to himself. He was tired of getting the side eye from Rocky.

Inside his friend's room were familiar posters and pictures, though in a different layout. Atop Rocky's dresser usually sat pictures of him and his brother in their karate outfits, while another few featured him playing with his sisters, and in one, him and the whole family. Now, all that Adam could see were pictures of him and Rocky together, all in scenes of which he had no memory.

This was so Twilight Zone it hurt.

"Here, lie down," Rocky said firmly. He urged Adam onto the bed, shutting the door behind them with a kick of his booted heel. When Adam obliged, the brunette sat beside him, immediately placing his hand against the other's chest.

The touch sent a tingle traveling up his spine. Adam closed his eyes, beginning to take a deep breath, only to stop himself. The pain in his stomach gave a sharp twang.

"So, tell me, you sick or something? Did you get injured during practice?"

Rocky's words were lost on him. Adam couldn't tear his eyes, nor his attention, away from a photograph sitting atop Rocky's nightstand. In it the two of them were embracing, _kissing_, looking so happy. His heart gave a drawn out pang of longing.

He must have knocked himself out during the battle, he deduced. There was no other explanation for it.

"Rocky, are we really dating?"

Rocky let out a laugh. "What?"

Adam finally turned his head and looked up at Rocky. "You and me. Are we…together?"

"What kind of question is that, Adam? 'Course we are. Do you need me to prove it to you?"

Adam didn't say anything. He didn't know _what_ to say.

Suddenly, Rocky leaned over him, bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss. Adam's lips parted in surprise, and his stomach tightened instinctively. The strange mix of pain and pleasure made Adam groan. When Rocky pulled back Adam felt his cheeks flush pink.

"That enough proof for you?"

Exhilarating though the kiss was, Adam knew this couldn't be real. And if it were, then it wasn't right.

_Sneaking up behind isn't fair game, ranger! Foul ball! I'm gonna knock you into another dimension!_

Switch-Hit's words resonated in Adam's mind. Far-fetched though the idea was, maybe that was exactly what had happened. All the pieces were beginning to fall together. The disappearing fight, the lack of knowledge about Zordon, Rocky being an only child, the two of them together…

Adam swallowed.

He'd been thrown into a parallel universe.

And on some level, deep down inside, he didn't want to leave.


	3. Revelation

**Author's Notes: The muse for this story is like a freight train, trying to stop her has been impossible. Of course, I keep feeding her fodder by watching Power Rangers, so there's no surprise there, I guess. There WILL be a sequel to this story; I've already begun penning it. So, let's hit chapter three with the ball running :D**

**Ghostwriter: Thanks for catching the mistake! I must have missed it when reading through the second time. Oops!**

**One-Four-One: Aww, you SHOULD know about the show! Power Rangers is amazing. Your basic Japanese formula for success, if you will, if you're familiar with Sailor Moon, etc.**

**Please enjoy everyone!**

* * *

><p>It pained Adam that Rocky wasn't looking at him. He knew it had been a stupid move, hugging him like that, and he regretted it. He'd only been in this universe for all of ten minutes and already, he'd gone and embarrassed himself. His family would be terrified of his poor manners.<p>

"I—I'm sorry," he repeated. "It's just that, where I'm from, Rocky and I—we're together."

Everyone remained silent, eyes traveling between him and Rocky. He could tell the other didn't appreciate having all eyes on him. His eyebrows were narrowed and he was worrying his lip—telltale signs that he was upset.

"Well, we're not in this universe," Rocky said, finally looking at Adam. "We're best friends. Have been since the second grade."

"Since you fought off that kid who was bullying me, right?" Adam asked, a hint of hope in his voice.

_Some kind of connection, _please,_ just something similar…_

"R-Right," Rocky said.

In unison, they both said the kid's name: "Devon King."

"I guess our worlds aren't so different, after all," Adam said with a small smile.

Surprisingly, Rocky gave one, as well. "Guess not." To Zordon, he said, "We'll keep an eye on him, Zordon, don't worry. He can stay at my house."

"Are you sure?" Aisha asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. It's okay."

"Well, then I guess we play the waiting game until Switch-Hit shows up again," Tommy stated. He turned to Adam. "You need anything, anything at all, let us know, all right? We're here to help you. You may not be our Adam, but you're still _Adam_, if that makes sense. We'll do whatever we can."

It was nice to see Tommy was just as compassionate here as back home, Adam thought. With a firm nod, he said, "Sure. Thanks."

Once all of the other rangers teleported out of the Command Center, Rocky did the same with Adam, taking him to a small, out of the way ditch that he often teleported to on his way home. It was nestled just beside a ravine that cut through the properties in Rocky's neighborhood. Far enough away from the road, it was here, he explained, that he typically teleported to when their fights went late into the night.

With the sun beginning to set in the western horizon, Adam wondered what was going on back at his home. How was that Adam adjusting to _his_ life?

There was still a bit of a walk to get to Rocky's house. To his surprise, Rocky seemed to be full of questions.

"So what's your world like?"

"Not too much different than here, it looks like. Your world, though…_wow_. Power Rangers? That's something we could only dream of where I'm from."

"It's hard for me to picture a world where I'm not one," Rocky mused.

"Have you always been one?"

"No, only for the last year, year and a half. The previous Red Ranger went to Geneva and passed his power on to me."

"Red Ranger, huh? Man. Awesome."

"So, what about your friends? I mean, I know about…you and me…" Rocky hesitated for a moment, clearing his throat. "But what about Aisha? Tommy? Kimberly? Billy?"

"We're all friends where I'm from," Adam explained. "You, me and Aisha all moved here from Stone Canyon after a tournament—"

"After a tournament—"

"—that was held here in Angel Grove." Adam laughed. "Yeah. And after that, we just…became good friends with them. I have several classes with Kimberly and Tommy. Billy helps me with my chemistry homework a lot."

"Me, too," Rocky admitted. "Well, not as much as before, but…"

Their conversation slowly faded. They walked peacefully in silence until they'd rounded the corner to Rocky's block. It was then that the brunette asked, "So...what's it like not being a Power Ranger?"

"You don't remember your life before it?" Adam asked curiously. When Rocky shrugged, he went on to say, "It's pretty average. I mean, I hang out with my friends, boyf—" He stopped. "With…you know. I spend a lot of time practicing martial arts and I try and take part in competitions."

Rocky only nodded. His eyes seemed distant.

"Do you miss it?"

"Miss what?"

"Your life before being a ranger."

"God, no," Rocky said with a light scoff. "I wouldn't trade what I do for the world. I love the whole superhero aspect. I've done some amazing things…seen some amazing things, too. It's really opened my eyes."

Adam smiled faintly. There was one question that had been bubbling beneath the surface, one he had been afraid to ask. But now felt like as good a time as any.

"So…you and your Adam…nothing ever…happened?"

"No," Rocky replied, almost too quickly. "Just friends. He's like my kid brother, even though he's only a few months younger than me."

There was something in the way that Rocky was acting—maybe it was the lack of eye contact, the light hint of pink in his cheeks, or even the way his jaw set—something seemed off. Adam prided himself in knowing Rocky inside and out. And while this one was by no means his own, they still had very similar tells.

Adam said nothing.

"So, tell me about your life here," he settled on asking.

As they arrived on Rocky's doorstep, the Red Ranger explained to him that he had three younger siblings, that his mother stayed at home to care for them and that his dad spent a lot of time at work. He talked about his hobbies and his love for carne asada, as well as his passionate dislike for all things cold. What Adam found most intriguing was that, despite their similarities in temperament and personality, it seemed as though the two Rockys had vastly different tastes. He wondered what had caused them.

Then again, he also wondered how Rocky handled having three younger siblings constantly interrupting his life.

"Yeah, it's pretty busy around the house, but I find moments of quiet here and there."

"What about my family here?" Adam asked suddenly.

"They're out of town…business trip back to Korea." Rocky shut his bedroom door and moved toward his desk.

"Oh. How long?"

"All weekend, at least. I think you told me Wednesday or Thursday they'd be back."

"Oh."

Despite himself, Adam couldn't help but feel a bit of disappointment. Not being able to meet his family in this universe was going to be a let down.

"Any siblings?"

"No."

Adam grunted.

"That's no fun. Damn. What's the point, then?"

"You have them back home?" Rocky asked curiously.

"One. An older brother."

"Really? How old?"

"Twenty-five. He works in marketing."

"Huh. You learn something new every day."

Rocky smiled at Adam. Even though that should have made him feel more at peace, it didn't. This wasn't _his_ Rocky, which put him in a distinctly sour mood. There were so many thoughts going through his head, but at this point and time, he really had no one to share them with.

Sleeping here tonight was going to be incredibly difficult.

Adam woke up that following morning in the bed of his alter-ego's room. He couldn't call it _his_ own because technically, it wasn't. While he was the same person externally, from the looks of it, the way this Adam lived had drastically different hobbies. Much like Rocky's room, pictures of the two of them were scattered around the space, as well as several trophies from martial art competitions that Adam had never even heard of back home in his reality.

This Adam was also significantly more organized than he was. Not a single piece of clothing lay strewn about the floor, nor was there any item out of place. Back home, he had yesterday's clothes sitting in a pile beside his bed, and his desk was a treasure trove of lost items like pens, notebooks and CDs.

Though he'd been hesitant to go back to "his home", Rocky had said he was just a phone call away with any questions. He offered to let him stay over, but Adam didn't want to intrude. On top of that, the tension he felt toward this Rocky would have made for an uncomfortable night. It was hard to deal with a universe where his dream was reality, because in it, he wasn't really himself.

That just wasn't right.

Thankfully, for the most part, there were enough similarities between the two worlds that Adam was able to go about his normal morning routine. Breakfast was somewhat awkward, as his parents seemed expressly disinterested in him, but he made sure to not ask. It was a welcomed action that gave him some peace.

Well, enough peace to think about Switch-Hit and how he was supposed to get out of this place. He'd been plagued with nightmares off and on all night about what had happened, where he was, and how he was going to get back. In all honesty he wasn't sure at all as to how he was going to escape. He'd toyed with the thought that Switch-Hit existed in this universe as well, but how was he supposed to find him? He couldn't just teleport to the Command Center and talk with Zordon about it. After all, in this universe, he was just a teenager.

He shifted at the table and felt his morpher press against his leg. He'd yet to test his powers out, but part of him was afraid to. Chalk it up to intuition, but something told him it would be best to not risk it.

Just as he was about to head out to school that morning, Adam heard the doorbell ring. He let his mother answer it, and soon she urged him to the door. Rocky stood there, looking ridiculously charming in his cutoff jean shorts and red A-shirt.

"Have fun at school," Adam's mother said, giving him a pat on the back before walking back through the living room toward the kitchen. He stared after her for a moment. That was abnormal, but then again, this wasn't his world.

"Hey, Adam," Rocky said.

"Hey, Rocky." He leaned in, speaking quieter. "Do you always meet me and walk with me to school?"

"Mm-hmm. Plus, I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Have a good night?"

Adam stepped out of the house and shut the door behind him. He swung his backpack over his shoulder and started walking, giving his companion a nod. Even though it wasn't true, the last thing he wanted to do was worry him. Much like his Rocky, this one seemed concerned about his well-being.

The two walked to school, idly chatting about nothing in particular. Adam made especially sure to keep the conversation away from what was reeling in his mind. He was going to have to figure this one out somehow.

When they arrived at Angel Grove High, Adam started for his locker, only to stop and ask Rocky where his was. Theirs, Rocky corrected, was near the cafeteria—a far distance away from Adam's usual locker near the main hallway.

There, he gathered up his English book and stuck it in his bag. It wasn't until he began zipping it up that he stopped to think that maybe, that wasn't his first class of the day.

"Rocky, I have English first this morning, right?" he asked lightly, trying to play it off.

Rocky shook his head. "No, you don't have English until late afternoon. We have Spanish in the mornings, together." His voice took a turn. He leaned in, saying quietly, "Adam, you're acting weird again. Do you need to go see the nurse?"

That was it, Adam thought. He was going to go crazy in this world just trying to live a normal day. So much for trying to keep the peace, he thought irritably. He needed help, and there was really only one person he felt he could trust.

"Rock, come with me. I need to show you something."

Adam gripped Rocky's forearm and pulled him over to a secluded corner of the school, just beneath a set of winding stairs leading up to the second floor. He looked around them, ignoring Rocky's confused expression. When he was sure nobody could see them, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his morpher.

Rocky's eyes widened. "Adam, what the hell is—"

"Listen, Rocky, what I'm about to tell you is gonna throw you for a loop. I'm Adam, but I'm not _your_ Adam. I'm a Power Ranger in my universe. I was fighting a monster with ou—_my_ friends, who are also Power Rangers, when apparently I was thrown into this universe."

"W-What are you talking about?" Rocky sputtered out. "Are you kidding me?"

"No. I would morph here but it's too dangerous. Just…you have to trust me."

Adam hoped beyond all hope that this Rocky could take a page from _his_ Rocky's notebook and just listen to him without hesitation. Thankfully, after a moment's pause, that was exactly what he did. He nodded.

"All right, if you say so." Realization seemed to dawn on him. He wore a considering look. "No wonder you've been acting so weird. It makes sense!"

"Exactly. I'm not from this world. And I need to find a way to get back to mine so that I can help my friends defeat him."

Rocky suddenly grew worried. "Wait. If you're here, where's _my _Adam?"

Adam paused. Come to think of it, he really didn't know.

"I don't know," he offered. With a placating tone he offered wildly, "He probably switched places with me. I bet he's with my friends right now."

"Do you think he's okay?"

"No doubt in my mind. He's with the best."

Rocky knitted his brow in concern. He worried his lip. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Don't let me make a fool of myself?" Adam asked, letting out a laugh for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Don't worry, man. I got your back." Rocky smiled and reached out, clasping hold of the other's shoulder. "Do you know Spanish?" Adam shook his head. "No? Okay, well, just let me do all the talking, then."

. . . . .

That afternoon after school, Adam told Rocky he wanted to go to the Youth Center. Taking this as a good sign, the two of them went, but Adam asked for some time alone so he could practice his martial arts. Rocky, though confused, welcomed the request—things had been somewhat strange between them all day, and it was starting to wear on him.

Rocky, along with Aisha and Billy, sat on the mezzanine where Ernie's Juice Bar was, watching Adam, Tommy and Kimberly practice their crafts on the mats. Kimberly was working on the balance beam with Tommy spotting her while Adam worked alone. Rocky stared at Adam for a long while, admiring his form. The two of them had been practicing martial arts for years; he wondered if in the other's universe, they did the same thing. Then again, there were _other_ things they seemed to do together, which sent a tingling down Rocky's spine.

"He kept to himself a lot today," Aisha commented, breaking Rocky's concentration. "In History he only talked to me once, and that was to ask a question."

"He likely feels alienated and confused," Billy said. He sent Adam a brief glance. "It would be understandable. We're all familiar faces to him, but we're not the ones he knows and cares for."

"I don't know what happened," Rocky said, confused. "We were talking last night just fine, then it just sort of…stopped. I figured he was just tired, but this morning at breakfast, he didn't try and make small talk or anything. If he's anything like the Adam I know, then he's really upset."

"Well, it's as he said," Billy explained. "You two are dating in his universe. Coming here and seeing your face and not being able to experience that proximity has probably done a number on his emotions."

Rocky nodded thoughtfully. In truth, he knew this Adam was upset. He had all the same signs that the Adam he knew did: he pursed his lips and kept silent, and above all, shuffled his feet. Not to mention, there was a severe lack of eye contact.

He understood. Really, he did. And some level, Rocky himself was upset, too. What had happened at the Command Center only served as a strong reminder that what _he_ felt for his Adam.

It had started innocently enough, just a small crush at a seemingly inopportune time. He'd been doing his best to quell it, and for a while had succeeded. But then the hug happened, and the kiss, and all of those emotions came flooding through the gate. Now every time Rocky looked at this Adam he couldn't help but feel an intense longing inside of him. He wanted _his_ Adam back. In this Adam's world, they were together. And man, was he jealous of that Rocky.

A lesser man would have taken advantage of the situation, Rocky thought. That man he was not, however. He had morals and integrity.

Still, it had felt wonderful having Adam's arms wrapped around him so lovingly, so _happily_.

Rocky sipped at his juice, his eyes locked in a stare downward at the surface of the table.

"You all right, Rock?" Aisha asked, brushing her hand against her friend's shoulder.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Just worried about our Adam, is all."

She smiled. "We'll get him back soon. We just have to find Switch-Hit first."

As Rocky opened his mouth to say something, his communicator beeped, along with Aisha's and Billy's. The three of them glanced at one another, immediately turning their attention to the rec floor where Tommy and Kimberly had stopped. The five teenagers shared a knowing look. Tommy and Kimberly gathered up Adam and the six of them went into the small alcove just outside the entrance to the juice bar.

"What's up, Zordon?" Tommy asked.

"Rangers, there is a disturbance at the police station in the parking garage. Sensors indicate Switch-Hit has landed and is causing trouble. You must get there immediately."

Aisha looked at Adam. "What about Adam?"

"He's coming with us," Tommy said. "We promised Zordon we'd keep watch over him."

"But it isn't safe!" Rocky said.

"I'll stay with him," Kimberly offered. She linked her arm through Adam's and looked up at him. "That's okay, right?"

"Of course it's okay, I have to see this," Adam said. "I can't miss out!"

Tommy said, "All right. Come on then, guys, let's get goin'!"


	4. Problem in the Parking Garage

**Author's Notes: Oops, I'd meant to post this last night, but I was writing a very intriguing chapter in the sequel involving Adam's mom, grandma and him. Can't say much more than that, but you're all going to love it, I hope! Here is chapter four. We have just two chapters left before the resolution of the tale, so thanks for sticking with me through it! I stumbled across some great communities on Livejournal earlier and am really glad I found them, so welcome to all those who are reading my story from the link I posted over there. :)**

**One-Four-One: If you can, you should order Netflix. That's how I've been enjoying the show so much again since I stopped watching ages ago! I can't believe you have no cable! Though...I guess I have no room to talk. XD**

**Ghostwriter: I don't know why but for some reason I read that in Kim's voice from the movie: "Gotta love it". Haha, thanks!**

**Van Donovan: Faboo! Seriously so glad I found the comm, it's always great to connect with other writers who are into your same fandoms :) Enjoy!**

**And again, please remember, scenes beginning with . . . are the real universe, while scenes beginning with * * * are those of the AU!**

* * *

><p>The Power Rangers busted onto the scene fully clad in their ninja gear. Switch-Hit had his bat at the ready, about to hit an innocent bystander policewoman, when Tommy called out to him.<p>

"Hey! Pick on somebody your own size!"

Switch-Hit turned to Tommy and gave a loud cackle. He spun his bat in his hand. "Rangers! Just the people I wanted to see! Wanna watch me send this chick into another universe like I did your friend?"

"You're not gonna get away with that, Switch-Hit!" Rocky yelled. He pointed accusingly at Switch-Hit. "We're gonna take you down and you're gonna bring him back!"

While the other rangers stood behind Tommy and Rocky, Kimberly guided Adam over to a safe spot just behind a large support column near an elevator that led down to the ground below. She patted his shoulder.

"Stay here where it's safe. Don't come out until we tell you to. I'll be right nearby just in case anyone tries to get you, all right?"

Adam's heart jumped in his chest. He swallowed, nodding. "All right."

He'd wanted to see this, and now he had a front row seat. Still, that didn't mean it was any less scary. If anything, he was even more terrified now because the monsters were a _reality_. In his universe, he'd never seen one in person, only on the television. He could swear he smelled the monster's stench from all the way over where he was.

"You'd better watch yourselves, rangers! Five against one still ain't fair. So you better know I came with _my_ team!"

Large, bird-like creatures suddenly appeared from behind civilian cars parked in the garage. From his vantage point, Adam could tell there were nearly two for each ranger. How were they supposed to fight fairly?

_They're the Power Rangers_, he told himself._ They'll find a way._

"Tengas!" Billy shouted. "Watch out!"

The monster Switch-Hit laughed deviously, revealing a small baseball that he then thwacked at the rangers. It set off an explosion which knocked them all back. It was terrifying to watch the Tengas swoop in on the rangers, but in a blink of an eye each one of them was in a different part of the garage. He watched Aisha knock one of the beasts into a car, setting off its alarm. The loud siren stung Adam's ears; he covered them, wincing.

"Which one of you is going to be next to go?" Switch-Hit goaded, smacking another volley of explosive baseballs at the rangers.

Kimberly did a quick collection of backflips, escaping the grasp of a rowdy Tenga. She put her back to Tommy, who let out a laugh. "You wish!"

The fight continued. Adam hid momentarily behind the column as Switch-Hit went scurrying past, taking himself into a large, open area—leaving himself at a surprising disadvantage. Adam watched as Rocky and Kimberly flipped past him, taking on Switch-Hit by themselves. They were soon joined by a group of four Tengas that wasted no time in muddling up their plan.

"Damn birds!" Rocky cursed angrily. He karate-chopped one of them in the neck, watching it collapse upon the ground. "How are we supposed to fight him if they're all over the place?"

"I dunno, just keep fighting!" Kimberly shouted.

The two rangers fought the remaining three Tengas, weaving in and out of Switch-Hit's rapid fire explosions. When he stopped, Adam noticed that Rocky had his back to the monster—and he knew immediately what was about to happen. With Kimberly tied up trying to fight off two Tengas on her own, and the other rangers continuing to fight the larger group of them, he realized it was up to him.

Just as Adam had suspected, Switch-Hit had his bat and was aiming it right for Rocky. He started out at a jogging pace. Adam wouldn't make it by walking alone. He broke out into a sprint, aiming his body right at Rocky. With a strained grunt, Adam tackled Rocky in his side, safely knocking him out of the trajectory of the bat which threatened to come in contact with him.

Switch-Hit growled. "Hey! No fair! Where did _he_ come from?"

Adam's actions were just what Kimberly needed—she knocked out the Tengas and came to Rocky and Adam's defense, standing in front of them.

Adam could see through the red fabric of Rocky's mask. His eyes were wide with surprise. But before he got up, the Red Ranger said, "Thank you."

Giving a nod, Adam climbed to his feet and ran back over behind the column. He watched as the other three rangers ran over to regroup.

Aisha stood beside Rocky, her fighting stance poised to go. "You've lost, Switch-Hit! Submit or be defeated!"

"You may have foiled my plans this time, rangers, but we'll meet again soon! You can bet on it!"

Switch-Hit's form rippled and flickered until it disappeared completely. All of the rangers let out groans and moans of exasperation.

They were back to square one again.

Was the day really only half over?

Adam was finding it difficult to keep his focus. He couldn't stop thinking about Switch-Hit, and how every minute wasted sitting in a classroom was time he was losing to search for him. For the first time in a long time, he thought of ditching his afternoon courses, but Rocky's watchful eyes were being a little _too_ watchful.

At least it was lunch. For a blissfully lesson-free half-hour, he could focus on trying to eat something instead of the numerous topics that "his" teachers were tossing at him.

He stared down at the brick-colored tray with the assortment of food he'd picked out from the cafeteria: two hot dogs, a Caesar salad and a juice box. Rocky had been kind enough to pay for him.

Adam remained quiet for the first five minutes or so, and Rocky seemed to respect his silence. However, once Adam finally started eating, he was confronted with a question.

"So. I've been wanting to ask all morning." He leaned in slightly over the table and whispered, "What's it like being a power ranger?"

Adam chuckled. "What do you _think_ it's like?"

"I dunno, I gotta think it's pretty amazing. You have all those cool powers, and those big machines!"

Adam scratched his head. Rocky's comment made him wonder what kind of Zords the rangers in this universe had. It also made him wonder if Rita and Lord Zedd even existed here. Some force of evil had to if they had the Power Rangers, but how would Rocky know?

"Yeah, it's pretty cool. It's a lot of responsibility, though."

"So how did you get to be one? Was it destiny, or something?"

"No, it…well." Adam scratched the side of his head. "It's a long story."

"I got all the time in the world." Rocky gave a lop-sided smile. "Well, not true, but I got twenty more minutes for lunch, so…"

Adam laughed. "So, you know how we moved here from Stone Canyon, right?" Rocky nodded. "Well, to make a long story short, the you and Aisha in my world, and me, too, eventually found out the identity of the Power Rangers. We were sworn to secrecy. A little while after that, the original Red, Yellow and Black Rangers were chosen to represent Angel Grove at a peace conference over in Switzerland. We'd helped the rangers out on a few missions and so Zordon—the guy in charge of everything—allowed the three of them to transfer power to the three of us."

Adam realized just a moment too late what he had said. Now that it was out, there would be no taking it back.

And of course, Rocky's response was anything but minimal.

"_What_?"

Several people around their table looked at the two of them. Adam stared forward at Rocky's tray, clearing his throat.

"You didn't tell me I was one, too!" the other boy whispered.

"And I really shouldn't have," Adam said with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't—"

"No, no, it's okay. I understand. Still, just…" Rocky's body shivered with visible excitement. "The idea of being a power ranger is just really cool. I mean, I love karate, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't hold a candle to fighting evil!"

Adam frowned. "It's not a luxury, Rocky, I'm telling you. It's cool, but it's a lot of work."

Their conversation came to an impasse. Adam and Rocky stared at one another for a few moments before each boy looked away and in different directions. The dark haired boy was beginning to grow hyper aware of the fact that the conversation was far too focused on him. Curiosity began to slowly bubble up within him, prompting him to say:

"All right, I told my story. Now you tell me yours. How did you and _your_ Adam…you know. Get together?"

He crunched on some iceberg lettuce that was drenched in far too much Caesar dressing. Next time, he told himself with a grimace, he'd be the one to dress the salad.

"One thing before I start," Rocky began.

"Okay. Shoot."

"What ranger am I?"

"Red."

Rocky's eyes lit up with excitement. "Red? Awesome!"

Adam chuckled again. That kind of vibrant exuberance was just what he would have expected from Rocky.

"All right, I answered," he said, a small grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Your turn."

Rocky shifted in his seat, his grand smile turning pensive. He gazed off into the distance for a moment and let out a sigh.

"Funny enough, even though it happened two years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday."

"I'd just turned fifteen. You—I mean, Adam—still had a few months to go. My parents threw me a real nice party and everything for it, and all my friends were there, him included. Well, they said I could have a friend stay over if I wanted, or even two or three, but only Adam was able. We stayed up all night and fell asleep playing video games together. When I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, I felt Adam's hand on mine. When I pulled it away, he woke up, too, and apparently realized what had happened. He turned _so red_, it was hilarious. I remember how nervous and anxious he was. He must have said, 'Sorry Rocky, sorry Rocky!' like twenty times. But I told him it was no big deal. What he didn't know at the time was that it had happened a few times before—I just never told him."

"So wait, did _you_ like him, too?"

"Of course I did. He's like my other half. I've known him ever since I was a kid. I'm brash and he's calm. I'm crazy and he's focused. He keeps me in check. He always has. I knew something was up when all I could think about for that year was him and him alone. Meanwhile, all my other guy friends were going out on dates with these girls in our classes. I finally told him that night about the other times, and he finally fessed up to liking me. So, I did the same thing. And ever since then, it's been just one good day after another."

Rocky's smile was so genuine, so warm, that Adam felt it flowing through him. That was a look of love—the kind of look he longed for with his Rocky.

Suddenly he was all too aware of just how displaced he was…

"I know that look," Rocky said.

"Huh?"

"That look on your face. My Adam makes it, too. You're upset."

"Am not," Adam replied automatically.

"Mm-hmm. Yeah. Now I know you are. What's wrong?"

Rocky had been nothing but helpful to him, which made Adam feel all the more guilty when he said sadly, "Just…wondering when I'll ever get home."

"Are we…you know, close, in your universe?" Rocky asked curiously.

"Close how?"

"I'll take that as a no."

Adam shook his head. "No. We're best friends and all, but not...like that."

"Mm. That sure is a mopey look on your face. You sure there isn't more to this story I'm missing?"

How in the world was this Rocky so damn astute?

He pointed his plastic fork in Adam's direction. "A-ha. There is. And let me guess: unrequited feelings."

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to say you're right? Because it's a reality I don't want to acknowledge."

Rocky plopped a piece of macaroni into his mouth. "You ever tell him?"

"Of course not. We've got a lot on our shoulders with ranger duties…plus, that'd only complicate things further."

As their conversation (thankfully) died down, the cacophony of noises from around the cafeteria filled Adam's ears, helping to distract him. Most of the people around him looked familiar to him on some level, but he knew none of them were truly the ones he knew. He was wholly alone in this venture, and who knew for how long.

"They're gonna find you, you know," Rocky said casually, but with assurance.

The topic change was so unexpected that Adam balked at it. He stared at the other boy, wondering how he could be so sure of anything at all. Then he realized how rude that thought was and immediately pushed it out of his head. He was irritable, felt alone and was also feeling very mindful of where he stood with his true best friend.

"Thanks, man. I hope they do. Soon."

. . . . .

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!"

Lord Zedd's gravelly voice rumbled through their palace on the moon. He couldn't believe the incompetency of the monster that they had created—or rather, that Rita had created.

"You let them know what you were doing?" he continued shouting. "Now those piddly power brats have the upper hand!"

Switch-Hit winced. "I nearly had one of them, but I was caught off guard at the last minute. It won't happen again!"

"You can bet it won't happen again!" Rita shrieked. She shook her staff angrily. "You get one more chance! Get back down on that planet and wreak havoc! Destroy things! Make those rangers disappear!"

Switch-Hit gave a vehement agreeing sound, disappearing in a flash of light. In his stead, Lord Zedd and Rita walked up to the balcony overlooking the earth.

"Honestly, what a waste of space!" Zedd grumbled. "He gets one but can't get the others? How hard is it?"

"We should use the Black Ranger's absence as a way to destroy Angel Grove! Make our monster grow, and watch him terrorize the city! Without their beloved frog, they won't be able to create the Ninja Megazord, and they won't be able to destroy him!"

Zedd laughed. "That's the first bright idea you've had since you made this monster!"

"Not funny! I'll make you pay for that!"

Rita pointed her staff at Zedd, then quickly turned around and headed for the balcony overlooking the earth. She tipped her weapon down at the planet and growled. "Magic wand, make my monster grow!"


	5. Adam Meets Adam

**Author's Notes: Hi everyone! You'll probably notice that I'm posting this story a little quicker than I do most of my others (typically a week to two weeks wait). The primary reason behind that is because I have about 15 chapters of the sequel written (it has become significantly longer than I'd intended-not that I'm complaining!) and would like to start posting it as soon as possible. Chapter five here means just one left to go, so our lovely boys' story is coming to a climax. Please enjoy :)**

**Hackthecatboy: Thank you, that I shall! Glad you enjoyed the chapter as you did :) There needs to be more MMPR fiction!**

**Ghostwriter: Glad I hooked you in! :D **

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><p>When Adam returned to Rocky's home that evening after Switch-Hit's attack, he felt exhausted. Even as a bystander, he had become worn out from the sheer experience of watching a fight. He couldn't imagine how difficult it was to actually participate. Rocky kept silent about how he felt, but Adam could see it in his eyes—he was tired and needed to relax.<p>

But they couldn't. Adam knew that the Power Rangers wouldn't stop until they had _their_ Adam back, and that the Switch-Hit monster was defeated. The question was, when would that be?

He and Rocky were greeted by Mrs. DeSantos upon their return. She had just finished cooking dinner: homemade chile verde and Spanish rice. Strange though it sounded, it was nice to have some home comforts—the Mrs. DeSantos he knew loved to cook dishes just the same. And for someone like Adam who loved to eat, it not only made him feel quite at ease, it also filled him up.

Once dinner was over, Adam headed back to Rocky's room. He could tell that something was preoccupying the other boy, though he couldn't quite figure out what it was.

When it came time for them to get ready for bed, Rocky finally began to speak substantially.

"I know I said thank you earlier for what you did, but I wanted to say it again, in private. If it weren't for you, I'd have been sent to an alternate reality like…"

He trailed off. Adam realized _that_ was what was bothering him: he was yet again reminded that his friend was trapped, and that he could have suffered the same fate.

"Hey, no problem," Adam said with as bright a smile as he could muster. "How many people get to say they helped a Power Ranger, huh?"

Rocky gave a half-smile. "True."

"Besides, I'm sure your Adam would have helped you out. I know you guys are gonna find him. Everything will be just fine."

Rocky took a seat at the edge of his bed, leaning over and resting his knees against his thighs. He heaved a sigh. "I hope so. I just don't know how we're gonna do it without Adam. We're a team, you know? We need all of us."

Normally in a time like this, Adam didn't hesitate to move in close to Rocky. It was the small gestures—caressing his shoulders and forearms, brushing his fingers through his hair, a hug—that usually calmed the brunette and made him feel better. It was difficult not to be able to help him in such a way. After all, Adam didn't want to overstep his boundaries.

Still…

"Do you know what kinds of evils the Power Rangers face in your universe?" Rocky asked suddenly.

Adam, who had taken a seat at Rocky's desk, shook his head. "No. I mean, we see what they deal with on the television, or in the news…but as far as I know, nobody knows the ones behind it. Who's behind it here?"

"Their names are Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. We've been dealing with them for a long time. Just when you think you've defeated them, they come right back again."

"And they just create these monsters?"

"Basically. It's like a never-ending battle."

Adam scratched his head. "Being a ranger has to be cool and all, but don't you ever get tired? Do you ever have personal time?"

Rocky laughed. He lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "Do I get tired? All the time. And personal time? Yeah, every once in a while. Not recently, though. Rita and Zedd have been on overtime, trying to make our lives a living hell."

Adam watched Rocky carefully. The way he twisted and turned…he was restless. It made him all the more anxious in wishing he could help somehow.

"What do you say we do something fun tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Rocky glanced up and over at Adam. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it's the weekend, right? Why don't we go somewhere?"

"I guess you're right. We could."

Rocky spoke with a hesitance that Adam wasn't used to hearing. Then again, this wasn't his Rocky, as he was reminded at every turn. He wondered why going out seemed to be such a cause for concern.

"Any suggestions? What do you and your Adam do for fun?"

"Well…we'd usually go to the Youth Center and practice our martial arts, or go see movies. Sometimes we'd go to the park." Rocky grinned. He sat up again and looked over at the dark haired boy. "Adam likes horror movies, but he can't seem to stomach them." He laughed. "There was this one time, we rented Night of the Living Dead, and he could barely watch the whole thing. By the end of it, he was a mess. I felt bad for him, but I told him I'd keep him safe. I think he had nightmares that night." Rocky chuckled, shaking his head. "Poor guy."

Adam smiled at the story. He loved a good horror movie, so he was surprised to hear his counterpart had a tough time handling them.

What intrigued him most, however, was the wistfulness in Rocky's voice.

"You're pretty close, aren't you?"

Rocky blinked. He smiled briefly, which caught Adam's attention. "Huh? Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Okay," he began, "don't take this the wrong way. But remember when I asked you about your guys' friendship?"

Rocky knitted his brow. "Yeah?"

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say there's something more going on inside you then you're letting on."

For a long while, the older one said nothing. Instead, he seemed to look everywhere but Adam and the desk. If that wasn't proof enough, Adam knew he could rely on the fact that he had properly interpreted the other's reactions.

Finally, Rocky asked, "How did you guess?"

"You and my Rocky have the same tells, pretty much." Adam couldn't help but smirk slightly. "You finally admit it, huh?"

"Not that it matters, anyway," Rocky said, shrugging his shoulders. "We've got too much on our plates and Adam is…"

"What?"

"Never mind."

This must have been hard, he realized. Sitting here, he was the exact duplicate of the very guy that Rocky liked. He was digging deeper than was probably right of him, so he let the matter drop, nodding.

As the red ranger slipped off his bed and headed for his bedroom door, his wrist communicator beeped. The two boys shared a knowing expression before Rocky double-checked the hallway for anyone. He lifted his wrist to his face and clicked the communicator.

"This is Rocky. I read you, Zordon."

"Rocky, you must teleport to the Command Center immediately. Switch-Hit is terrorizing the outskirts of Angel Grove. Please hurry."

After clicking his communicator off, Rocky let out a frustrated growl. "Can't this bastard just give me five minutes of peace before he tries ruining my city _again_?"

Adam stood up and stepped toward the other. He remained a polite distance away, though in the pit of his stomach tugged yet again the urge to reach out and comfort him. "Take me with you?"

"I can take you to the Command Center, but you can't come to the battle. It's too dangerous. If something happens to you, it might hurt my Adam, too. And I don't want to see _you_ put in any danger."

"Listen, Rocky—"

"No, I get it. I'm sorry I snapped. And I'm sorry I'm acting weird. It's just that nobody knows, all right? Nobody knows." He set his jaw, shaking his head. "Please. I can't talk about it any more right now. I need to go defeat this monster." Rocky reached out and gripped Adam's shoulder. "Come on, let's go."

That was it.

Adam couldn't take the waiting any longer. He couldn't sit around idly and expect his friends to find him. Without anyone's guidance, he had to do what his gut told him. And his gut told him to use his communicator.

Against the cautionary judgment in his head, Adam, who was sitting in the Youth Center with Rocky and Aisha—who was thankfully unaware of the switch—decided to excuse himself to go to the bathroom. However, once he was out of his friend's line of sight, he lifted his wrist toward his face, and hesitated.

He stared at Rocky. He'd done everything he could to help make this transition easy. He knew, though, that if he told him what he intended to do, that he very well could try to stop him, just to keep him safe. While admirable, Adam had taken a vow when he became a Power Ranger. If his life was exchanged for the greater good, he would do what needed to be done.

He took in a deep breath and clicked his communicator.

"Zordon? Zordon, do you read me?"

"Zordon! Zordon, I think I've found Adam in the alternate universe!"

"Good job, Alpha. Lock on to his coordinates and see if you can teleport him here. We need him if the other rangers are to defeat Switch-Hit."

"I will do my best, Zordon. Locking in coordinates…now…"

Adam watched curiously as Alpha pressed a number of buttons in rapid succession on one of the control consoles. When he turned around and looked in the Viewing Globe, he saw himself standing in what looked like the Youth Center. It was strange seeing a duplicate of himself doing something independently. He wondered if this was what identical twins felt like.

"Locked on!" Alpha said. "I'm teleporting Adam from that universe to ours."

Within a few moments, a flash of black light filled the Command Center. When it faded away, in its stead was Adam.

Well, the _other _Adam.

"Weird," he said, scratching the side of his head.

"Zordon! Alpha! Thank God!" The other Adam wore a wide, relieved smile. "I'm glad I followed my gut. I didn't want to use my communicator at first, but…"

"You were right to follow your instinct, Adam, though I understand your trepidation. In the end, what matters is that you are back." Zordon continued, "Your fellow rangers are in need of your assistance. They are fighting Switch-Hit as we speak. You must pilot your Ninja Frog Zord immediately."

"Right."

But before Adam morphed, he turned and looked at his parallel self, a look of mild surprise and intrigue taking over. "This is crazy. I can't believe I'm staring at myself like this."

"Hey, I'm not you," Adam said, laughing. "I'm my own person. I just…look like you and have the same name as you."

"Now that we know the location of the universe you were sent to, we can safely send this Adam back," Zordon explained. "We must do it quickly; having you both in the same universe can cause grave instability."

The Black Ranger said, "I know we don't have much time. There's so much I want to ask you."

"Yeah, same here."

"First: can you tell your Rocky thanks? And goodbye? I didn't…get a chance to, before I left."

"Sure. Now, let _me_ tell _you_ something really quick." Adam walked up to his counterpart and folded his arms across his chest. "You should talk to Rocky."

"Huh? Why? Is he okay?"

Adam gave the other a knowing look. "He's got something he needs to tell you. That's all I can say. Tell him I said good bye, and good luck."

A moment of understanding seemed to pass between them. Adam hoped that his Power Ranger self would be all right, and that he would figure everything out.

He stuck out his hand. "Good bye."

The Black Power Ranger gripped his hand, giving it a firm shake. "Good bye."

Adam pulled away after, turning toward Alpha and Zordon. He took in a deep breath. "I'm ready to be sent back whenever I can be."

"Coordinates are locked in. I will be sending you right back to where we got our Adam from."

Adam folded his arms over his chest. Not but a few days ago, he had never thought of the possibility of a parallel universe. Now, not only did he find himself within one, but he had discovered a world where he was a Power Ranger, and where his friends were, as well. He'd discovered a world far more intricate and dangerous than his own, and while on some level he wanted to stay, he was aching to return home to the familiar.

As he was engulfed in a warm energy, he closed his eyes, pictured home, and smiled.

. . . . .

"Kimberly, watch out!"

Rocky called to his friend just in time to watch her Crane Zord get hit with a barrage of explosive baseballs. He heard her cry out in surprise and veer her zord up and higher into the air to keep from crashing.

Without the power of the Ninja Frog Zord, they couldn't combine together to defeat Switch-Hit. They had been engaged in battle with him for what felt like ever now. Rocky, already tired from the day's activities, was beginning to feel dizzy and lightheaded from being tossed around every which way.

"Hydraulics ready…launching now!"

Billy's voice echoed in Rocky's helmet. He saw the Wolf Zord dive for Switch-Hits's arm, its mouth latching on powerfully to his wrist. Switch-Hit gave a loud yell, beginning to shake his arm wildly.

"Get off of me, you stupid wolf! You're damaging valuable merchandise, here!"

From in the sky above, Tommy, in his Falcon Zord, volleyed a barrage of missiles both at Switch-Hit and at the ground surrounding him.

Brandishing his bat, Switch-Hit growled and said, "I'm getting tired of you all, I hope you're ready to be blasted away!"

"Like you did me?"

Rocky did a double take. He recognized that voice. It couldn't be.

"Adam?" he called hopefully.

"Here and clear!" Adam replied with a holler of joy. "Hope you're ready to jam with the frog!"

"Adam!" the other rangers exclaimed in unison.

The ground thudded with each and every leap of the Frog Zord. Soon the other rangers were joined by the Black Ranger, who used the flamethrower mechanism on his zord to ignite the ground beneath Switch-Hit's feet.

"Ah! Hot, hot, hot!"

"Let's finish this guy off with Ninja Mega Falconzord power!" Adam suggested.

Tommy gave a triumphant laugh. "All right guys, let's power up, now!"

As each zord's combination mechanism switched into gear, they pieced together, completing the Ninja Mega Falconzord. The six rangers were finally brought together again within the cockpit. Adam waved.

"Miss me?"

Rocky wanted to leap up to the second level of the cockpit and hug his best friend, but he kept his composure. Adam had only been missing for a few days. It would have seemed silly, even if he was incredibly relieved to have him back.

"Let's get this guy!" Tommy said.

Switch-Hit egged them on with a wave of his hand. He took a batting stance. "You got your fancy zord, so what? And your friend is back? Well, isn't this the bee's knees! I'm gonna take each one of you out!"

"Watch out for his bat!" Adam exclaimed.

The rangers quickly engaged Switch-Hit in combat. Each of their punches landed, but not without consequence- Switch-Hit nearly managed to hit them with his bat twice, however they were able to deflect the hit with a kick to his legs. Switch-Hit fell to the ground and cried out in irritation.

"Now's the time, guys!" Tommy said. "Let's finish him off once and for all!"

"Right!" the rangers said in unison.

They lifted their zord into the air, preparing for their final onslaught. Switch-Hit stepped into a batting stance once again, but he wasn't fast enough to deflect the powerful blows from the fists of the Ninja Mega Falconzord. The force of the impact sent Switch-Hit flying through the air, and in the process, he imploded.

All of the Power Rangers exclaimed and shouted in joy, giving each other high-fives. Switch-Hit was finally defeated, meaning that for yet another day, Angel Grove and planet Earth were safe from the evil forces of Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa.

For now, all that Rocky cared about was that his best friend was home safe and sound.

And he knew just how to celebrate.

"Ice cream for everyone!"


	6. Unexpected Revelations

**Author's Notes: All right everyone, this is the last chapter of the tale! I wanted to thank you all for coming along with me on the discovery of this new pairing, which has really taken hold of me! Adam/Rocky is such an exciting pair to fiddle around with and see how they interact. As a special thank you to all of my loyal readers, I'm going to post the first chapter of the sequel of this story. Be sure to check out my profile page for the link! **

**Hackthecatboy: Last chapter here! However, there's more Adam/Rocky to be had in the immediate future :D**

**mcflyfreakify: Thanks Rachel! I appreciate the offer! I'm always of the mind that humor is needed to help balance things out. You know, that comedic/tragic concept. Rocky is just so fun-loving...how can he not be a goof? **

**Ghostwriter: Well, we do get that he's a big foodie from the second season, and as a big foodie myself, he adopted my love for ice cream. :P thanks! Hope to see you with the other story!**

**Manley24: Thank you! The Rocky/Adam club is growing in numbers...whoo!**

**Enjoy everybody!**

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><p>"We'll pretend this whole thing never happened," Kimberly said with a wink, digging in to the sundae before her and Tommy with her spoon. "Even we need to take a break sometimes!"<p>

Adam understood where she was coming from. Because of their duties and lifestyle, all of the rangers ate healthier than most teenagers their age. Junk food typically stayed out of their diets, replaced instead by naturally sweetened foods like fruits.

But right now, Rocky's idea of enjoying some ice cream had really hit the spot.

They had paired off to make sure nobody overate. A perhaps unnecessary precautionary measure, but it was late and they didn't want to get sick.

Adam was sitting next to Rocky, Tommy next to Kimberly, and Aisha next to Billy, all around the large circular table on the raised level of Ernie's Juice Bar.

"Still can't believe you're back," Rocky told Adam with a cheerful grin. "How did it happen?"

"Yeah, we thought we'd have to defeat Switch-Hit to reverse the damage done," Billy explained.

After Adam swallowed some chocolate mint swirl ice cream, he chuckled. "I used my communicator."

"That simple, huh?" Aisha said. She raised her eyebrows in amusement.

"You have to tell us the whole story," Kimberly said. "We know a little bit, just stuff we heard from the other Adam, but…"

Adam put down his spoon, his hand bumping into Rocky's in the process. He felt a jolt travel quickly through him as he pulled back.

"Well, I wasn't a ranger in that universe...so I was sort of scared to use my communicator, or to morph. But I was worried about you guys back here,"—his eyes landed on Rocky momentarily—"especially since I didn't know what was going on. I tried keeping with the lifestyle that the other me lived there, but it was so different from my own, I kept getting confused. So, I went with my gut and used my wrist communicator to try and contact Zordon. They locked on to me there through it and brought me back here."

Adam saw each of his friend's faces contort into a different expression. Though they all looked relieved one way or another, he also saw some sort of apprehension present in them.

It was probably out of the bag that the parallel Rocky and Adam were together. After all, he could only imagine how the other Adam responded upon seeing Rocky. He chose not to say anything about it, but unfortunately, he couldn't escape it.

"So did the 'me' there mistake you for the other Adam at first?" Rocky asked curiously.

"Yes. He was very supportive and helpful," Adam was quick to amend. "I knew I could trust him, so I told him about who I was, where I was from. He made things easier."

With that topic officially dropped in his eyes, Adam reached for his spoon again and dug into the ice cream, taking a larger than usual scoop and putting it in his mouth. The ice cream burned the roof of his mouth with how cold it was, but he didn't care.

The other Adam's words rang in his head at that moment: _You should talk to Rocky. He has something to tell you_.

"Well, we're very glad to have you back," Aisha said. She reached across the table and squeezed Adam's free hand, giving him a smile. "Couldn't have done it without you."

Aisha's warm-hearted gesture made Adam smile. "Thanks."

He remained somewhat quiet as the conversation diverted toward other topics. He couldn't help but wonder why the other Adam had said what he did. In his heart of hearts, he had a feeling he knew. His stomach did a loop at the thought, however. Could it really be the truth? Could Rocky have something to confess like Adam did?

He shook his head.

He wondered when the best time to talk was…

It wasn't until Adam realized Rocky was leaning in toward him that he was finally brought back partially into focus.

"Glad to have you back, man."

Adam smiled genuinely. "Glad to be back."

He continued to work with his best friend on finishing off the ice cream bowl between them. Here and there he offered his opinion on the variety of topics that came up as they ate, but his mind remained divided. The more he thought about it, the closer he came to the conclusion that he needed to speak to Rocky when they left. Otherwise, he would have to deal with the infinite possibilities of whatever there was to talk about while he waited to find the right time.

As the night progressed and it came time for the rangers to head home, they said their goodbyes and all started in their different directions. However, before Rocky was able to exit the Youth Center completely, Adam stopped him by reaching out and gripping his forearm.

"Hey, can you wait?"

Rocky nodded. "Sure, man."

Adam gestured for Rocky to follow him back inside. With each passing moment he felt his heartbeat picking up. He had never been good with words, which was going to make this either incredibly awkward, or incredibly uncomfortable. With his luck, it would likely be both.

"Listen," he began, scratching the back of his head. "I—um. The other Adam, he told me to talk to you."

Confused, Rocky asked, "About what?"

"I'm not sure. He said that he couldn't tell me, but that we'd both know."

Apprehension began leaking into Rocky's voice. "He didn't...say anything at all?"

"No, but…"

Adam worried his lip. He'd been best friends with Rocky since they were children. He'd never had trouble talking to him, but when it came to this? He could have easier moved the moon than admit how he felt.

"I need to tell you something."

Rocky folded his arms tight across his chest. "Okay."

"We both…know, right, that in that other universe…we were together. And we both had to deal with one another's counterpart while I was stuck in that place." Rocky nodded, and so he continued, a lump growing thicker and thicker in his throat with each passing second, "What I need you to know is—well."

He swallowed. This was proving to be far more difficult than he'd originally thought.

"Rocky…God, man, I—"

Adam rubbed his hands down his sides. It was now or never.

"I like you."

Despite his heart threatening to burst out of his chest, Adam maintained eye contact with Rocky. He felt a sudden rush of relief; he wasn't afraid of his feelings now that he had owned up to them. In fact, admitting them aloud seemed to almost set him free, in a way. The surge of adrenaline that coursed through him caused an unexpected side effect: he smiled.

Rocky returned his smile with a hardened stare. For the first time in a long time, Adam found it hard to read what his other friend was thinking.

He began to say, "I—"

Before he could continue, Rocky moved in and brought their mouths together in a strong, passionate kiss. Adam lifted up his hands in surprise, feeling Rocky's settle on either side of his face. He remained frozen in place only momentarily; soon he was pouring himself into the kiss, reveling in the feel of Rocky's lips against his own. He set his hands on his best friend's hips, bringing their bodies close together.

Rocky pulled back, his breath ghosting over Adam's lips—it sent electric sparks through his system, making him shiver.

"Adam, I should've said something," Rocky murmured. He kissed him again. "I've been wanting to forever."

Adam's grip on Rocky's waist tightened. He closed his eyes. He pressed his head against the cold wall of the Youth Center. "Me, too. I don't know why I never did. If I'd known you felt the same—"

Rocky brought their lips together again. This time, the kiss was more languid, exploratory. Adam felt the other's tongue ghost over his mouth before darting inside. Adam's stomach turned in knots from the adrenaline pumping through him. His body was reacting in so many different ways; he didn't know which to pay attention to.

By the time they broke apart from their kiss, Adam's head was spinning. He supposed it was a side effect of the endorphins flooding his system. Whatever it was, it made him loosen his grip on Rocky's waist to pull him closer. Rocky's hands found a home on either side of Adam's head against the wall. Their foreheads resting upon one another's, the two boys stood there, embracing one another.

"I was worried we wouldn't get you back," Rocky admitted. His voice hitched in his throat.

"Can't get rid of me that easily," Adam joked.

With each and every passing moment, he breathed in Rocky's comforting scent. He brought up one of his hands to caress Rocky's back. He could feel the tension in the other's muscles slowly beginning to melt away.

Eventually, as they rested there against each other, Adam's body returned to normal. His heartbeat slowed down, his breathing evened and his mind cleared. With a careful push, he eased Rocky off of him so they could look at each other face to face.

Rocky grinned suddenly, bright and wide. He looked away.

Adam smirked. "Wait, _I'm_ supposed to be the shy one."

"I'm just…happy! There's no shyness about it. Do you know how long I've waited to do that? To _kiss_ you?"

"Can't be any longer than I have."

"You know what I feel like doing?"

"What?"

Rocky jumped up, his fist held high in the air. He cheered. When he landed, the same grin remained plastered on his face.

"That."

Adam laughed. "Now, _there's_ my Rocky."

"_Your_ Rocky. Hm…I like the sound of that."

"Oh, no," Adam began. He laughed again. "Don't you go getting sappy on me, Rocky. Just because we like each other doesn't mean we're gonna be lovey-dovey."

Adam gave a surprised grunt as Rocky suddenly pinned him against the wall. They kissed not once, not twice, but three times, before he pulled away and took a few steps back.

"Adam Park, you better believe I'm gonna be sappy. I've been waiting for this for a long time, and damn it, I'm gonna enjoy it." He beamed, reaching down and gripping hold of the other's hand. "Now. We gotta catch up. I'll tell you all about alternate you, and you tell me all about alternate me, how's that sound?"

"Sounds great," Adam replied with a coy smile.

At that moment, Adam didn't know what they were, or what they would eventually be, but that didn't matter. The strength he now carried from admitting his feelings made him that much more prepared to accept whatever would come to pass.

As they exited the building, the younger boy leaned in and whispered into Rocky's ear, "You know what the best part about this is?"

"What?"

"I can stare at your ass without feeling guilty now."

Adam pulled away, reveling in the look of complete surprise on Rocky's face.

This was going to be great.


End file.
